The shadows of trees and plants, the footprints of animals, all create drama on the snow. What is usually hidden by grass or dirt, comes alive with the whiteness of snow. It was a beautiful, blue-sky day and the shadows were amazing. Here are a few to share.

About 6-8 inches of snow blanketed our neighborhood last night. Today was a beautiful day for a walk in the snow, with some playfulness along the way. The contrast of the white snow against the dark bark always draws me. These are just a few images I captured.

I’ve recently joined some camera clubs and have been challenged to submit images for competitions. I’m still getting my feet wet, so to speak, but am having fun selecting and submitting images.

CACCA (Chicago Area Camera Club Association) has an annual Postcard Competition and I selected two National Park images to the competition. Today, I heard that one got Award (Glacier NP) and the other an Honorable Mention (Grand Teton NP.) This is a fun way to start out my “club” experience!

These were submitted through Mayslake Nature Study and Photography Club.

I invite you to join us (ten fine art photographers) for a new exhibit, Subtext. The opening reception is Friday, March 3, from 6-8:30pm at the Aurora Public Art Commission, 20 East Downer Place, Aurora, IL.

Over 2,000 images in 12 days! I just got back from a Viking River Cruise on the Main, Rhine and Mosel Rivers. Using the JPEG versions of a little over 100 images, I made iPad edits using Snapseed. So this is just a preview. Enjoy!

My best sunset photos are often taken with my iPhone in the grocery store parking lot. Maybe it’s because I run errands late afternoon and when I come out the sun is setting? I do know there are no obstructions. I point my iPhone up and there are no buildings, electric wires, street lamps or “things” to get in the way of the glorious colors and how they reflect on the clouds. This sunset image was captured yesterday after a quick run to the grocery store.

Then when I got home, I had to quickly grab my iPhone again because I loved the way the clouds and colors peeked through the tree branches.

We are still doing remodeling in our kitchen. The tile worker who did our floor and was so amused at me need to lay on the floor to take photos of row upon row of screws. He saw me get out of the car and said, “You just can’t stop taking photos, can you?” So true!

How many photos do I need of sunsets and clouds? I’ll let you know when I find out. Seriously, the colors, the rays of light, how the colors reflect on the clouds, the shape of clouds…need I go on?

My city is surrounded by Forest Preserves. We have lots of nature, places for hiking, photography opportunities, and a good view of the changing seasons in the Midwest. One of the newer Forest Preserves is St. James Farm, using property that was once a horse farm and equestrian showplace. I’ve been visiting St. James since the property was purchased. I’ve enjoyed visiting for walks, 5k runs and, of course, photography. Today I saw something I don’t remember seeing before: a gate that goes nowhere.

At some point in history, this gate likely was joined to a fence and allowed entrance to some aspect of the equestrian showplace. Today, it stands alone. There is no path visible in the snow. There is no fence connected to it. There doesn’t seem to be any reason for the gate to be there today. But as you travel through natural areas, you often see remnants of human occupation. It might be a cement foundation, or the remains of a building, or even pieces of glass or paper wrappers.

We leave a trace of ourselves in all natural places. Sometimes, it takes a major restoration to return a preserve to its former “natural” state. Sometimes, the human evidence become an abandoned building, falling apart and dangerous to enter.

Here, it is just a gate. That goes nowhere. I wonder what it was used for?